News: Voguing, Alex Pettyfer, Bearforce1, James Jones, Liverpool

NY Senator Savino on marriage equality vote: "I'm hopeful it's Tuesday."

Alex Pettyfer strikes a profile in Vman.

Beaver watersports on The Early Show.

Anti-gay Liverpool attack inspires fast-tracking of hate crimes laws in UK: "A new law imposing two years imprisonment for those who incite violence on the grounds of sexual orientation will come into force by mid-December, several months ahead of schedule. And local police forces nationwide will be encouraged to follow Merseyside in setting up ‘frontline’ action teams to combat such crimes."

Kathy Griffin to play lesbian activist on Law & Order: SVU.

Philippines election committee (COMELEC) rejects gay party on grounds of immorality: "In a ruling dated November 11, the Comelec said that although the party presented proper documents and evidence for their accreditation, their petition is 'dismissable on moral grounds.' Page 5 of the ruling states that Ang Ladlad's definition of the LGBT sector as a marginalized sector who are disadvantaged because of their sexual orientation "makes it crystal clear that the petitioner tolerates immorality which offends religious beliefs."

FOX News goes after gay YouTube newsclipper (who we use constantly here at Towleroad, and provides a great service) with takedown notices but leaves right-wing sites alone.

Mug shot of the week.

Dolce & Gabbana purchase NYC condo: "A source dishes that over the weekend the fashion duo bought a two-floor brand-new apartment on 10th Ave. in Chelsea — in a building where one-floor units start at a whopping $5 million. They celebrated with model Adam Senn (who is starring in the new D&G ads along with Madonna) at Il Bastardo in Chelsea on Tuesday night."

Warhol Brillo box goes for $842,500 at Philips de Pury auction.

Daniel Radcliffe denies smoking weed.

Dutch bear band Bearforce1 breaks up.

India creates third gender for voters: "Indian election authorities have granted what they called an independent identity to gays and transsexuals -- a third gender -- on the country's voter lists. Members of these groups were referred to as male or female on the voter rolls in the past. Now they will have the choice to pick "O" -- for others -- when indicating their gender on voter forms, the Indian election commission said in a statement Thursday."

Tonight: The Ugly Betty episode that AfterElton says you must not miss.

New York is Burning: Voguing ball returns to NYC's Irving Plaza. "This Saturday, the House of Xtravaganza will host their first ball in over five years. I live for balls, and I’ve always lived for the Xtravaganzas; this ball will consist of 26 different competitions."

Author James Jones was forced to remove expletives and homosexual scenes from the 1951 novel From Here to Eternity: "One character, Maggio makes extra bucks by hanging out with older, rich gay men who live in Honolulu, who pay good money for his company. The original manuscript goes into great detail about what kind of sexual favors soldiers like Maggio are willing to provide. The soldiers act as if it’s simply their company that these older men are paying for, but there’s an underlying, secret understanding that many of them will provide sex. Maggio sees nothing wrong with this at all, since it is a means to an end – a way to make quick money so he can go back and hang out with the whores."

News: Centipede, T.R. Knight, Bears, Anthony Woods, Romania

Fire Island swim to benefit NYC's Stonewall foundation: open water swim from Sayville to Fire Island Pines.

T.R. Knight discusses why he left Grey's Anatomy: "My five-year experience proved to me that I could not trust any answer that was given [about my character George]."

A Centipede may get custody of Michael Jackson's children.

Analysis and clips from Obama's primetime health care press conference.

It's A Bear's Life: magazine makes move to web TV.

Fort Worth police officer in Rainbow Lounge raid's troubled past: "Ricks was disciplined on multiple occasions in 2006, including following his arrest for punching a bus driver in New Braunfels. The assault charge in that case was later dropped, but the incident raised serious concerns among Ricks' supervisors."

Lifetime to run All-Star challenge featuring eight former designers in conjunction with debut of new season of Project Runway. Here's who's participating.

YouTube removes musician Calvin Harris' own video from his YouTube page over copyright infringement.

San Jose, California's Billy DeFrank LGBT Community Center in danger of closing, needs $50,000.

Gay Iraq war veteran Anthony Woods, who is running for Ellen Tauscher's seat in Congress, gets an endorsement form HRC and The Victory Fund: "Woods, who is openly gay, was awarded the Bronze Star for his two tours in Iraq before being discharged from the Army because of his sexual orientation.  He graduated from West Point and earned his masters degree at Harvard University."

Mayors of Hoboken and Secaucus, NJ and a state assemblyman arrested in broad corruption and international money-laundering probe.

DC resident organizes fundraisers in support of Helem, a non-profit LGBT organization in Lebanon that is aiding LGBT Iraqi refugees.

The Australian Senate is doing an inquiry into marriage equality and want submissions from people affected by it.

Hong Kong hotel launches all-male floor.

Pat Robertson on the Episcopal Church: "They have lost their way. They were taken over by this controversy having to do with same-sex marriage and the ordination of homosexual bishops. Once they got into that morass and lost their way from scriptural teaching, they didn't have much denomination left... And there will be no tears in my life if the Episcopal Church of America just quietly goes out of business."

Twilighters arrive at Comic-Con.

Samuel M. Steward, remembered.

Romania bans same-sex marriage. U.S. anti-gay group Alliance Defense Fund claims influence: "Alliance Defense Fund played a prominent role in assisting supporters in the Romanian parliament. 'Through Peter Costea, who is one of our allied attorneys and the head of Alliance for Romanian Families, who's been doing excellent work in Romania, got these provisions enacted in the law,' Kiska points out, 'and we're just happy to see in Europe these types of protections being afforded to marriage.' Kiska concludes that Romania has a strong history of supporting traditional marriage, as do most European nations. Romania's new civil code will take effect January 1, 2010.

Towleroad Guide to the Tube #500

EXCEPT REAL: There was recently a bear on the loose near Cleveland. Just in case you're not sure what a bear looks like, FOX 8 can help.

MEGHAN MCCAIN vs PAUL BEGALA: A young Republican finds herself in a den of Democrats.

SUSAN BOYLE: Finally took the stage at Wembley Arena.

ANN COULTER on ENSIGN: We Republicans "hold our philanderers accountable."

Read our recent Guides to the Tube HERE.

Towleroad Guide to the Tube #482

DREAMBEARS: From this season's Britain's Got Talent.

CELL PHONE SEIZURE: White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs confiscates reporter's phone.

PAVEMENT TO PARKS: San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and Supervisor Bevan Dufty unveil new pedestrian plaza at the corner of 17th and Market in SF's Castro District.

MIKA: The Brit pop singer's not so secret gig.

For recent Guides to the Tube, click HERE.

New York Investigates Bears in Central Park

Tim Murphy from New York magazine heard there were some bears in Central Park last weekend, and went to investigate. Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...

Vivienne Westwood Launches New Trend in Male Models

The fashion world's focus is on Milan right now as menswear designers are showing their goods. New York magazine spotted this bear on the runway at the Vivienne Westwood show and applauds the disappearance of the skinny, hairless Emo boy. As I'm sure some of you will, too. (via fleshbot site NSFW)

One more look from Vivienne Westwood, AFTER THE JUMP. Of course, it only works if you're apt to carry a fan around...